Afternoon Contemplations

I've been feeling imbalanced for a while, which I presume is the result of being inactive with yoga and qigong for a prolonged period.
Furthermore, I'm prone to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, so I think it was a combination of different things.

To mitigate this, I've been consistently taking a daily supply of Vit D, iron, B12, Vit C, magnesium, and zinc for the last month, and I've seen much improvement. With supplements, I think it's good to break and give the body a chance to kick in and function naturally. However, I had left it for too long and suffered severe symptoms of lethargy, brain fog, muscle aches, low energy, pale skin, irregular appetite, and felt inundated with simple tasks. Thankfully, I've nipped this in the bud, and I'm feeling restored and vibrant, highly motivated, and with increased mental clarity.

I think it's a big step in the right direction because I'm of the age where my health is naturally declining, and I can't afford to be lax with my efforts. However, I still want to be able to indulge in treats like these with moderation, of course, without worry and stress.

Sometimes, things are more mind over matter, or the presence of sunshine, or perhaps the fact that I've increased my daily coffee intake to two cups, but my concentration levels, memory, and vitality are better.

In other words, #SurvivingWinterBlues

Regardless, I'm happy that I'm feeling more positive and zestful to bash these negative emotions and physical discomforts that caused a strain on me in recent times.

Being mindful and self-aware has helped me, and it's all a sign that it's time for me to activate the Qi (energy) that's stagnant and to harmonise the energies in my body.

Today, I unpacked my fitness clothing and decided to air them for a few hours, as I'm eager to start doing some springtime qigong and yoga in nature.

One of the biggest challenges of living on this boat is the lack of space, and I find it counterproductive forcing myself to do mindful moving meditation in extreme weather conditions because I'm tense in the cold, with shallow breathing. I attempted it on a few occasions, but what I found was that carrying tension into those exercises made my breathing shallow and reduced the flow of oxygen to my lungs. Sequentially, it limited my cardio function of pumping sufficient blood to my heart, so it's fortunate that I enjoy cycling, as it sufficed in that aspect.

Sometimes, people are ignorant to believe that doing exercises is a sign of vanity and a reluctance to accept the natural changes in our bodies. However, I have proficient knowledge and understanding of the connection of body, mind, and spirit, and recently, I've been doing deeper work on the different meridians in the body and the connection of the elements of the earth with some of our vital organs, as well as identifying the imbalances that cause negative feelings and emotions and the right antidotes to achieve the opposite positive emotions.
So far, so good!

This post is a contribution to this weekly 'daily' theme of #MindfulMonday here in The Minimalist community.

_{All the images and gif are my original content.
Location: Foxton Locks, March 3, 2025.}